Lunch has long been a business tradition - sharing hospitality and breaking bread together is a time honoured bonding experience. But, too often, lunch is used out of its rightful place.
Lunch is a good way to:
- exchange views, informal information, and explore ideas with someone we already know well
- build and personalise established business connections
- recognise and value our valued connections and clients.
Lunch is rarely the best way to:
- make a new business contact
- pitch your services to a new client
- cover a formal business agenda.
Before you think of lunching a prospective client, check that:
- there's more in it for him/her than simply a nice meal in your company
- that you have information or value to add far in excess of the 90 to 120 minutes of his/her time you're asking
- that you won't cause him/her to gag on a mouthful as you ask for work.
If lunch isn't more than this, then be upfront and ask for a meeting to peddle your wares !
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